Anti-thumb-sucking device



June 11, I940. D. D. S'HELTON 2,204,235

ANTITHUMB-SUCKI-NG DEVICE Filed Nov. 15, 1-937 INVENTOR ATToRNEy Patented June 11, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,204,235 ANTI-THUMBI-SUCKING DEVICE Donald D. Shelton, Portland, Oreg.

Application November 15,1937,.SerialNo. 174,643

2 Claims.

My invention relates to anti-thumb-sucking devices the object being to provide a device that may be worn by infants that prevents their placing any one of their digits in their mouth for 5 sucking while the device is being worn on the arm of the infant.

The invention is comprised of a body element that may be worn on the forearm and adjacent the upper arm with the body element carrying a projecting member that bridges the gap between the juncture of the upper arm and the forearm to thereby prevent the bending of the arm at the elbow joint in the usual manner.

Straps are associated with the body element and a buckle is also associated with the body element to facilitate the straps being passed around the arm and for being secured together.

The invention may be made of a single piece if made of rubber, or it may be made of a body element having an articulated projection to facilitate its attachment to the upper end of the forearm.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a simply constructed device that may be worn by infants to prevent the placing of any one of the digits in the mouth of the wearer while the device is being worn.

A further object of my invention is to so construct the device that it may be cheaply made,

one that may have to the wearer along and useful life and with freedom from annoyance while being worn.

A still further object of my invention is to so construct the device that it wfll not be harmful to the wearer and not be uncomfortable to the wearer so long as the arm is in normal position.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in the appended claims, and a preferred form of embodiment of which is hereinafter shown with reference to the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. I is an end view of the device illustrated in Fig. II and in Fig. III.

Fig. II is a plan view of a modified form of device where the same is made of a single piece.

Fig. III is a sectional side view of the device illustrated in Fig. II. This view was taken on line 3-3 of Fig. II looking in the direction indi- 55 cated.

(c1. 12s 1s3) Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

I also make my device of a single piece as i1- lustrated in Figs. I to III inclusive, and when so made of a single piece as illustrated at I8, a plu- 5 rality of straps here shown as three in number at I9, 20, and 2| outwardly extend from one side of the body element and tabs 22, 23, and 24 outwardly extend from the opposite side of the body element and a plurality of spaced slits 25 and 2B 10 are disposed within each of the tabs 22, 23 and 24 and through which the ends of the companion straps I9, 20 and 2i are made to pass to facilitate the attachment of the body element to the arm of the wearer. 15

A rib 27 is disposed within the body element l8 and outwardly extends on one side of the same and a head 28 outwardly extends from one end of the body element with the outer end of the head 28 being curved to facilitate its engagement 20 with the lower end of the upper arm of the wearer. The rib 21 terminates adjacent its juncture with the head 28 as illustrated at 29. The walls formed by the ends of the rib 2'! and the adjacent portion of the head 28 forms abutting 25 walls as shown at 29A and 29B when the head is fixed to set up abnormal resistance to a further flexing of the body at the joint thus formed to thereby prevent the wearer further raising his arm to permit his putting his thumb in his mouth. 30 In Fig. III a cross section of the head and its medial line is shown, and the plan view is shown in Fig. II,

The device made as illustrated in Figs. II to IV inclusive is preferably made of a good qual- 5 ity of live rubber. It is made of a single piece, may be easily attached, may be sterilized by heat or other means, and readily adapts itself to the arm of the wearer and gives greatest comfort to the wearer.

Devices as herein illustrated are required to be worn but a few days to prevent and break infants of thumb-sucking.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the embodiment herein shown and described, as it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body element made of rubber, a rib disposed upon the medial line of the body element and outwardly extending therefrom and terminating on its respective ends between the ends of the body element, a head formed integral wtih the body element with one of the end walls of the head terminating in spaced relationship with one of the end walls of the rib with the adjacent ends of the rib and the head forming buttresses adapted for engaging each other to limit the freedom of flexing of the body element adjacent the juncture of the head and the rib, with the outer end of the head being curved, tabs and straps formed integral with the body element being in registry with each other and outwardly extending from the opposite edges of the body element, slits disposed Within each of the tabs and the straps adapted for being passed through the slits to secure the strap to the pad and for securing the body element to the arm of the wearer.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body element made of stretchable material and made of a single piece, tabs each having a plurality of strips disposed therein outwardly extending from one of the longitudinal edges of the body element, straps formed integral with and outwardly extending from the other one of the longitudinal edges of the body element with said pad and tabs being in registry with each other and with the straps adapted for being passed through the slits of the body element to maintain the body element upon the arm of the wearer, a rib outwardly extending on one side of the body element, and a head being curved on its one end outwardly extending from one edge of the body element, abutting walls formed adjacent the end of the rib and the head forming buttresses adapted for engaging each other to limit the freedom of flexing of the body element adjacent the juncture of the head and the rib.

DONALD D. SHELTON. 

